University of Wisconsin enrollment down; UWGB enrollment hits record high

Enrollment at the University of Wisconsin dropped 2.6% percent compared to last year.

Preliminary enrollment for the 2019 academic year announced by the university Thursday was just over 167,000 students. That is down from nearly 4,500 students from last year.

Enrollment on the flagship Madison campus was up 2% or 879 students. UW-Green Bay, La Crosse, Parkside and Superior were the only other campuses where enrollment was up.

U.W.-Green Bay announced a record 8,098 students at its Green Bay campus -- a 9.7 percent increase from last fall. Including the Manitowoc, Marinette and Sheboygan campuses, enrollment is 8,873 students -- an overall 3.4 percent increase.

UW-Stevens Point and Platteville saw the largest declines at 9.7% each.

The university described the system-wide 2.6% drop was "modest" and part of a trend of fewer high school graduates and low unemployment rates amid a strong economy.

UW President Ray Cross says the drop was not unexpected given demographics.

UW-Green Bay says its larger enrollment doubled the under-represented populations, which it says reflects the increasingly diverse population in Northeast Wisconsin.